


The King and His Knight

by breakdancingsigma (hetawholockvengerstuck)



Category: King's Quest (Video Games)
Genre: Achaka lives AU, Amnesia, Gen, Spoilers for all of King's Quest 2015, tags will change and be added to reflect the story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-28 01:04:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10060748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hetawholockvengerstuck/pseuds/breakdancingsigma
Summary: When Graham becomes a knight, he makes a single request of King Edward: that he be allowed to retrieve Achaka's body. This he does, but it is not a body he finds in that cave.This is the story of King Graham, from the end of the Tournament until old age. It is the story of Achaka, the man who could not be killed. It is the story of Daventry, and the people without whom Graham would be lost. But most of all, it is a story about adventures, both at home and abroad, which shape the lives of our heroes and the legacies they leave behind.





	1. The Beginning of Gratitude

"Manny, wait!" Graham cried, making to run after his friend. He knew it was hopeless, he could never keep pace with a Snute, but he had to try!

An armored hand shot out to grab his shoulder. "No, Graham. He's not worth it."

 _But he is,_ Graham thought. Manny had been the first person in Daventry to offer his friendship. Even if Manny had turned out to be petty and jealous, Graham just couldn't find it in his heart to resent him.

Kyle's grip was strong, though, and Graham let himself be persuaded by the friendly squeeze he received.

It was over. He'd won, he was going to be a knight. Everything he'd worked for had come true.

And then it felt like a wave was crashing down on him. His chest felt too tight, his throat constricted. He felt his legs give under him, but didn't realize they'd given out until he found himself eye level with a guard standing in front of the stage.

"Graham!"                                                            

"Skinny pants!

"Pockets!"

This wasn't the time or place. Honestly, it was pretty embarrassing. But he'd been pushing it down all day, and now it hit him like a ton of bricks, and he was powerless to reign in the sobs that wracked his slim frame.

Everyone was crowding around him. Concerned faces and expressionless helmets swam in front of him, clamoring for answers, asking question after question that Graham had no time or will to answer. It was all too much.

Graham let out the tiniest mewl of "Distress..." and it was like he'd shouted it through a speaking trumpet. It was almost comical how fast everyone jumped back, as if they were afraid they'd hurt him.

"What's wrong, Graham?" Larry asked. Graham felt Kyle squeeze his shoulder again and leaned into the touch.

How could he explain? _This is my first time outside Llewdor and it was supposed to be fun but nothing's gone right and my first friend ever has just abandoned me and my best friend is dead and I'm just so overwhelmed and I shouldn't have won, I'm not ready for this, how am I supposed to be a knight when I can't even save myself..._

In the end he managed to choke out one word: "Achaka..."

A murmur of understanding and sympathy passed through the crowd of people. Muriel reached up and patted his leg. "There, there..."

"Oh, if only I'd brought another pie," Wente said. "There's a fresh-baked farfunberry tart back in my shop."

"Whisper can do it!" There was a sudden gust of air.

Something soft was pressed against Graham's hand, and he looked up to find Acorn offering a hand-knitted scarf. When Graham made no move to take it, the bigger man draped it around Graham's shoulders with a gentle pat on the back.

Somewhere in the background, two guards were talking. "The day is growing old. Will there be time for the victory procession and the knighting ceremony?"

"Let him grieve, Number One."

"But the rules state that--"

"We can invoke Amendment 690032."

"Well, I suppose we've all had a long day. I will inform King Edward and the Council of the postponement."

Another rush of air. "Here you go, Graham!" A pie was dumped in his lap. "Whisper can do it!"

"Ah, that's the _apple_ pie..." Wente said.

Another hand on his shoulder. "Let's get you inside," said Royal Guard #2. "There's a spare bed in the guards' barracks that's yours for the night."

Graham wordlessly allowed himself to be hauled to his feet. He barely noticed when Kyle and Larry fell into step with him, or when he handed over the horn mouthpieces to Amaya, or when he entered the castle courtyard for the first time. By the time he'd been deposited on his bed, still holding the wrong pie and with a brightly-colored scarf dangling from his shoulders, his heaving sobs had turned to tired silence. He forced himself to eat--it was delicious, of course, but he wasn't especially hungry--and laid down, hoping he could just fall asleep and forget the whole thing.

He didn't, of course. His mind was still racing to catch up with everything he'd done that day, cycling through more adventures than he'd had in a lifetime. _This is what I wanted, right? To be a knight in King Edward's court? This is my day of victory, so why can't I be proud of it?_

He tried to think of happier things. He'd come here with no friends, just Triumph. Now he could count a whole guild of bridge trolls among his friends, thanks to Wente's extraordinary baking skills. That was something to be happy about, right? He'd come up with a pretty clever way of delivering an eye in the process. And there was Acorn, and Whisper, and the townspeople. Kyle and Larry were pretty great. He had a whole bunch of friends now. He could write to his mother and sisters about everyone he'd met, the challenges he'd faced--oh, his sisters would never believe he'd won a duel of strength!

But his mind kept wandering back to that well. How could he have saved Achaka? Why hadn't he told Achaka to get them out? Why couldn't they have just gotten the eye from a safe distance? Or Graham could have shot his own arrow and rope, and they could have escaped together.

The dragon's eye was still in his cape. Part of Graham wanted to get rid of that horrible trophy, chuck it back down the well or throw it in the river, _anything_ to forget about the beast that had killed his friend. But he couldn't. Achaka had given his life to acquire that eye, and he'd entrusted it to Graham for safekeeping. He could only assume that it was worth something more to Achaka then just an entrance ticket.

* * *

The triumphal procession was held the next day, and Graham faced it with a mix of excitement and determination. He'd thought about it for hours, and he knew what he had to do to make things right.

The palace was _beautiful_. Never in his life had Graham seen such opulence, and he could hardly believe that he would be _living_ in it, given his own special room in the knights' wing and feasting on delicacies with other knights. For a moment, he was able to shake off the melancholy that had followed him throughout the morning.

The throne room was even more magnificent. Black velvet draped over long wooden benches, upon which knights and noblemen sat--members of the Council of Nobles, the ones responsible for many of the decrees in Daventry. Dozens of pairs of eyes stared at Graham, wondering at the scrawny young man being escorted up the long golden carpet to kneel before the throne. He had only a moment to glance back at Acorn and Whisper where they stood by the door.

And then he was face-to-face with King Edward. Graham wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but it wasn't this. He'd heard tales of an old man past his prime, driven mad by grief and age. Edward was a man too compassionate for his own good, they said; he would sacrifice his kingdom because he didn't want to make the hard decisions, didn't want to turn down a request or demand. The man he saw before him was bent with age, with a long white beard that reached his chest and eyes surrounded by laugh lines. His expression was so open, it was like reading a book to know his thoughts. Graham was surprised to see the same tempered excitement he felt reflected back at him.

As soon as the fanfare died down, King Edward approached him. "Oh, do stand up. What is your name, my boy?"

Graham scrambled to his feet. "I-it's Graham, your highness. Graham Cr--"

"Graham, hmm? Graham of Llewdor. It has a nice ring to it." King Edward chuckled. "I hear great things about you, Graham."

This was part of the ceremony, he'd been told. The king would list the knight's accomplishments in the competition, then ask the Council to confirm his knighthood. It was all purely symbolic, but that didn't stop Graham from blushing heavily while King Edward showered praise upon him.

"This young man has shown compassion, wit, and bravery. He has presented an eye without slaughtering a single beast. He has negotiated a truce between the bridge trolls and our royal guards, restoring our kingdom's mobility and trade."

The assembled nobles applauded politely.

"He has bested the strongest competitor in a duel of strength, and the fastest competitor in a duel of speed. He has stretched the rules, but always stayed within them, finding new and creative ways to complete each challenge laid before him."

More polite applause.

"Finally, he has ventured into the depths of the caves running beneath the old well. He has come face to face with a ferocious dragon, and returned to us alive and well, and, I hear, with quite the trophy. Will you show us the eye?"

Reluctantly, Graham reached into his cape and presented the hard-won prize. The nobles gasped, whispered, in some cases cheered; a murmur rippled through the crowd, and Graham was suddenly very conscious of how very different he was from them.

The king did nothing to hide how impressed he was. "Keep it, my boy. None before have faced that beast and lived." He did his best to straighten his posture, and said to the room at large, "Will you accept this man as your knight, Daventry?"

"We will!" came the chorused reply.

Royal Guard #1 presented the ceremonial sword to King Edward. Graham knelt again, and did his best not to tremble as the king rested the sword on both his shoulders in turn. "Then I hereby dub thee Sir Graham of Daventry, and bid thee welcome to my court. May you serve us long and well."

A cheer rose up from the crowd. Graham stood and bowed to the king.

"Come along, now, Graham," Royal Guard #2 said. "Time to get you properly outfitted."

"Wait!" Graham cried, and suddenly the room became very quiet. He pushed down the rising doubt in his chest and turned back to the surprised king. "Your Highness, I know it's probably...improper of me to ask this of you so soon, but I have a request to make."

The nobles were whispering again. Royal Guard #1 rested a hand on his sword in a casual way, but Graham could _feel_ the daggers he was glaring. King Edward just stared.

"What is your request?"

"I...When I faced the dragon, I didn't do it alone." Graham took a deep breath and tried unsuccessfully to stop his fidgeting. "The knight who acquired this eye and saved my life...d-died in the caves. Without him, and without his sacrifice, I would never have made it this far. That's why...that's why I would like permission to return to the dragon's lair and retrieve his body."

Even the guards were murmuring now. Acorn and Whisper looked to be deep in conversation.

"That's suicide!" one nobleman called out. "It would be unacceptable to lose a knight so soon, and on a fool's errand!"

"Perhaps if the boy is having second thoughts, we should choose another knight!" a woman shouted.

"This boy should learn his place!" an older knight demanded.

King Edward raised a hand, and the guards called for order. He took a shaky step forward and rested a hand on Graham's shoulder. "What was this man's name, Sir Graham?"

"Achaka." Graham glanced up at King Edward's face and found he couldn't look away. The man's eyes glistened with unshed tears and _understanding_.

"I cannot ask you to leave behind someone you care about," King Edward said. "Everyone deserves the chance for closure, and a man like Achaka deserves a better resting place." The words were formal, but Graham could hear the pain in his king's voice. The weight in his chest eased a little bit; it was as if King Edward was taking a part of Graham's pain for himself, sharing the burden between them. "I will grant your request. I ask only that you make it back in one piece."

Without room to bow properly, Graham settled for lowering his head. "Thank you, your majesty."

"He won't be going alone," boomed a voice. Graham turned around to see Acorn striding forward, head held high. "No way Skinny Pants here can carry Achaka all the way back here."

"Whisper will also go!" Whisper declared, striking a pose with one finger pointed to the sky.

"R-really?" Graham asked, looking back and forth between Whisper and Acorn. "You would do that for me?"

"Anything for a friend!"

"I got your back, li'l buddy."

Graham fought back happy tears. "Thank you both so much."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I don't usually like to leave long author's notes right from the get-go, but in this case, I feel like it would better serve the fic.
> 
> King's Quest is great because it allows you to choose the path Graham will take, while also keeping his character basically the same no matter what path you choose. That's why I've chosen not to have the Graham in this fic strictly follow any given path from the game, and the townspeople's reactions will reflect that. 
> 
> As it stands, I don't know whether I'll keep Graham and Achaka's relationship platonic, or whether it will become romantic. I intend to just go whichever direction the story takes me; however, since I don't really have a preference, I'd love to hear from you on what you'd like to see. There will be no hate for Valanice, however. She's still going to be in the picture regardless, and I'm going to do my best to avoid unnecessary love triangles.
> 
> Well, now you know my intentions. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!


	2. Return and Retrieve

Graham knew that they couldn't enter through the well. Retracing his and Achaka's steps would have forced them to go through the small tunnel, and if Achaka had had trouble fitting through, there was no way Acorn, or even the top-heavy Whisper, would make it. The only other option he could think of was to go back the way he'd left.

The trek took them farther from the town, forcing Graham to listen to Whisper's constant assurances that he was brave enough to face a dragon. (He tolerated it only because he knew it was Whisper's way of pumping himself up.) By the time they reached the mouth of the cave, the sun was close to setting.

"Okay, guys, we need to be very quiet," Graham said, dropping his voice to a whisper.

"You got it, li'l buddy."

"Whisper can do it!"

 _"Shhh!"_ Graham hissed. Acorn slapped a hand over Whisper's helmet to stifle the noise; to Graham's surprise, it actually worked.

"Okay, I'm going to go ahead and scout it out. If it's safe, you'll join me and we'll find a way down from there."

Acorn nodded for both of them.

Taking a deep breath, Graham inched towards the cave. He dropped low to the ground, eyes scanning the cavern below for a sign of the dragon. It was nowhere to be found.

That should have been more reassuring, but all Graham could think was, _Then where is it?_

His eyes drifted over to where he knew Achaka's body would be.

A chill ran through his whole body.

"He's not there."

"What was that?" Acorn whisper-shouted.

"Achaka. His b-- his body isn't there."

"Let me see," Acorn said. He dragged Whisper with him and peered over the cave edge. "Damn, you're right. Not even any armor."

"Well, it looks like we're just too late!" Whisper said, only marginally quieter than normal. "I guess we'll just have to go back to town!"

"I have to go down there," Graham said, slinging his bow off his back. "I won't leave without Achaka."

Before either of his companions could argue, he shot a rope-laden arrow at the rocky outcropping below. He tugged it a few times, checking it had lodged securely among the ash-stained rocks, then tied the other end of the rope around a nearby root.

"I don't know if I should go down there," Acorn said hesitantly.

There was a sinking feeling in Graham's gut. "But...but you said--"

"I didn't say I was leaving. I just don't know if that rope'll hold up under my weight. It might be better for me to stay up here, keep an eye on the rope. If you can tie Achaka to one end, I'll pull him up, no problem."

"Sounds like a plan. Whisper?"

"Whisper will stay here and keep a lookout for dragons!" Whisper said.

"Fine." _He'd probably just get in the way if came with me_. "I'll be back as soon as I find Achaka."

"Good luck, Skinny Pants."

"Whisper has your back!"

Without further ado, Graham grabbed hold of the rope and began his descent into the cave. Every inch brought him closer to the place he'd revisited in his mind countless times. He dared not look down at the rocky bottom miles below. By the time he reached the ledge, his arms were shaking and his hands were cramped beyond belief.

 _One more trip like that, and you'll never have to see this place again_ , he told himself. He tiptoed as fast as he could to the last place he'd seen Achaka, hoping there would at least be a clue.

He had to wait for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but once they had, he noticed something he'd been unable to see from above: a dark red stain, streaked across the rocks. It looked as if something had been dragged, but...

 _It can't have been the dragon,_ Graham thought. _The bloodstains are going the wrong way for that. It's almost as if..._

As if Achaka had dragged himself.

A traitorous spark of hope flared in Graham's breast. He sat down heavily, trying to control his breathing. He was surprised at how much it _hurt_ to think that Achaka was still alive. It was impossible, he knew that. Even if Achaka _had_ been able to drag himself away from the edge, he couldn't have gone far.

He refocused on the task at hand. He wasn't here to rescue Achaka, he was here to retrieve his body. With one final deep breath, Graham stood up and began to follow the bloodstain.

He was right about one thing: it didn't take long to find the end. He had only to loop around a stalagmite to catch the glint of armor.

Achaka's body was limp, draped sideways against a boulder with one hand pressed to his stomach. The fabric that had been draped around his shoulders was tied around his waist, and there were terrible dents in his armor, but somehow he had held on to his bow.

Graham's chest felt tight again. He took a deep breath to calm himself, then raised one hand and punched a fist into it in a salute.

It took a surprising amount of effort to drag the body back to the ledge. Graham flinched every time Achaka's armor scratched against the stone.

Finally, he reached the arrow embedded in the stone. One look told Graham it wouldn't reach far enough to be tied around Achaka. Carefully, he extricated Achaka's bow from his grip and grabbed the last length of rope from his belt. _I'm sorry, buddy._

It didn't seem appropriate to use the bow, so Graham used his own, borrowing one of Achaka's (much sturdier) arrows to lodge into the rocky ledge above. Keeping a firm grip on the leftover rope, he pulled Achaka a bit closer to the edge.

A horrible screeching sound echoed throughout the cave as armor scraped over stone. An uncomfortable chill and shiver ran up Graham's spine, and then another sound caused his heart to skip a beat.

Thundering footsteps. The dragon was coming.

"Hurry it up, Graham!" Acorn shouted. Graham got to work, but it wasn't easy to loop the rope around Achaka in a way he could be sure would hold. "Graham!"

Graham made the mistake of looking up. The dragon was within sight, and by the looks of it, it knew exactly where he was. Try as he might, Graham couldn't get his body to move. With a roar, the beast barreled towards the ledge.

"Look out, Graham!" Suddenly, a blur of silver flashed by.

"Wait, no!" Graham cried, but Whisper was already running the length of the ledge, waving his arms and declaring loudly, "Come at me, you great ugly brute!"

The dragon's head swung around to follow Whisper. The speedy knight let out a high-pitched scream and began running back and forth, yelling, "Whisper _runs_ from danger!"

Graham forced his fingers to work again. He desperately tried to speed up, but he kept fumbling the rope and having to restart his knots.

Another roar caught his attention and he glanced up. Fire burned along the opposite end of the ledge, and Whisper was hopping away from it, desperately trying to protect his mane. Another burst of fire narrowly missed roasting the knight.

"Whisper!" Graham called out, working frantically. He couldn't lose another friend in here, he just _couldn't._

 _Finally_ , the knot held. With one final tug to be sure, Graham called out, "Acorn! Pull him up!"

"Graham, look out!" Whisper shouted.

As Acorn pulled taut the rope, Graham whirled around to see that his shouting had attracted the dragon's attention. Focusing on much easier prey, it was heading right for him--

No, it was heading right for Achaka's body, which dangled limply from the rope.

"No!" Graham drew another arrow. He took careful aim, but the dragon's good eye was facing away from him; all he could do was distract it.

And so he did.

The dragon whirled around when it felt the wooden arrow bounce off its thick hide. Graham had only a moment to appreciate the peril he was in before he was swept off his feet.

"Escape route please, Graham!" Whisper shouted, a hint of panic in his tone. Graham twisted around and shot another arrow at the cave mouth. There was no time to check if it had lodged properly; Whisper tossed Graham over his shoulder, barely giving him a moment to get a grip before grabbing hold of the rope and launching himself off the ledge. A trail of fire lit up the air behind them.

They slammed into the rock wall hard, but managed to maintain their grip. Whisper began climbing at a brisk pace, panting with exertion and fear. "Whisper...can...do it!"

Up above, Acorn's shout of triumph told Graham that Achaka's body was on level ground. The large knight poked his head over the edge of the cliff. "Look out!"

Graham turned precariously and saw the dragon's face mere feet from them, mouth wide open and a red glow building in the back of its throat. There was no way Whisper could carry them to the top fast enough.

He didn't have the leg or core strength need to stay upright. He had enough time to grab an arrow before he flopped over backwards, sending the rest of his hand-whittled arrows tumbling from his quiver at the mercy of gravity. His legs strained to hold his weight, and the constant motion from climbing jostled his aim, but Graham couldn't let that stop him. He notched an arrow, took aim, and, sending up a prayer to whatever deity may or may not be listening, fired.

Time seemed to slow down as the arrow flew. Graham felt himself sliding; Whisper's pace halted, and they slid back down a few inches as one armored hand left the rope; the beginning of an inferno appeared in the dragon's throat.

And the arrow flew true.

It struck the dragon's good eye at an angle, taking it clean out and sending it hurtling towards the cave floor. The dragon's head was yanked, either by force or pain, in the same direction, and only the tiniest spurt of fire escaped its mouth, harmlessly heating empty air. Graham's legs gave way, and Whisper's hand tightened around his ankle, leaving him dangling upside down.

"Hold on!" Acorn yelled, and the rope began to move upwards. Ever so carefully, Graham reached for Whisper's arm and, with some help, managed to pull himself upright. While the dragon screamed in pain below, Acorn hauled them both to safety.

The minute they were on solid ground, Graham rolled off Whisper and proceeded to hyperventilate. That had been _entirely too close_. There were so many ways that could've gone wrong: he could've been eaten, Whisper could've been burned to death, the ropes could've broken or burned, he could've _missed_ \--

"See?" Whisper panted. "I _told_ you Whisper could do it! And Whisper certainly did not wet his pants in the process!"

"You better have a change of clothes," Acorn said, gathering up the last of the rope. "You need a second, Graham, or should we put some distance between us and this cave?"

"Give me a moment," Graham panted. It was fine, they were safe, nobody had gotten hurt, and they'd retrieved Achaka's body. There was nothing to worry about. With another deep breath, Graham forced himself to his feet and said, "Okay, I'm ready."

They gathered themselves up, making sure nothing was left behind. Graham was in the middle of consoling a rather distraught Whisper ("My _cape!_ Look at it! It's been  _singed!_ It's _ruined!_ How can I return to town looking like _this?_ ") when Acorn suddenly froze. "Hey, Graham?"

"What is it, Acorn?" Graham asked nervously. Acorn sounded hesitant, somewhere between astonished and frightened. He was supporting the body with one hand; the other was pressed to Achaka's stomach, right above the hastily-bandaged wound.

"This guy's still alive."


End file.
